Crustaceans Crustaceans Decapods - Lobsters & Crayfish There are two main groups of lobsters which are all marine arthropods - Clawed lobsters (30 species) and Spiny or Rock Lobsters (45 species). The best known Clawed lobsters are the American and European lobsters - these are called "true" lobsters. Marine spiny lobsters, some of which are also called crayfish in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, do not have large claws, their first pair of legs are only slightly larger than the other four pairs. Lobsters are found in all the world's oceans. They live on rocky, sandy, or muddy bottoms from the shoreline to beyond the edge of the continental shelf. They generally alone in crevices or in burrows under rocks. Lobsters are omnivores coming out at night to eat fish, molluscs, other crustaceans, worms, and some plant life. They also are scavengers when necessary. Their predators include bottom dwelling fish, such as cod, flounder, and eels, crabs, and seals.

Most lobsters are 25 to 50 centimetres in length, Adult crayfish are usually 5 to 17.5 centimetres long. The largest lobster caught weighed over 20 kilograms They move by slowly walking on the sea floor. When avoiding predators they swim backwards quickly by curling and uncurling their abdomen. Lobsters must moult to grow, during the moulting several species change color. Lobsters have 10 walking legs; the front two acting as claws with one often being much larger than the other. Their antennae and tiny hairs that cover the entire body are sensitive to touch.Short bristles cover the insides of the pincers on the walking legs, these are taste receptors. Their head and thorax are fused into one section called the cephalothorax. Lobsters, like snails and spiders, have blue blood due to the presence of the blood pigment haemocyanin, which contains copper rather than iron which is in haemoglobin. Lobsters possess a green organ, the hepatopancreas, which acts as both liver and pancreas.

External anatomy of a lobster A lobster will moult up to 25 times in its first 5 years of life then ,as an adult, it will moult about once a year. All lobsters and crayfish produce eggs which are carried by the adult female attached to the swimmerets. When they hatch they vecome part of the plankton for up to a year until they settle on the ocean floor. Crayfish Crayfish.also known as crawfish, or crawdads are freshwater crustaceans resembling small lobsters, to which they are not closely related. They breathe through feather-like gills and live on the muddy bottom of freshwater lakes, rivers, dams and streams. Crayfish feed .at nightby crawling along the mud to feed on aquatic vegetation, worms, insects, molluscs and decayed organic matter. Their pincerlike claws are used to crush and tear food into smaller pieces. If scared the crayfish rears up, raising its claws threateningly. The fanshaped tail then propels the crayfish backward, flinging mud at the enemy.

Australasia has over 100 freshwater species including the marron (Cherax tenuimanus), red-claw crayfish (Cherax quadricarinatus), yabby (Cherax destructor) and western yabby (Cherax preissii). The world's largest freshwater crayfish, Astacopsis gouldi, can weigh up to 5 kilograms and is found in the rivers of northern Tasmania. Lobster tail Squat Lobsters Squat Lobsters are not lobsters at all, but are more closely related to porcelain crabs, hermit crabs and, more distantly, the true crabs. They belong to a group called the Anomurans. The 870 species are found worldwide in theall the oceans from near the surface to deep sea hydrothermal vents, living mostly in rock crevices and under boulders. They are much smaller than the true lobsters usually with flattened bodies and the abdomen is usually curled under its body. The front legs are very long with long claws. Most of them are are scavengers, scooping up muddy or sandy deposits to sort out edible bits with their mouth parts.

Some are predators of small fish, larger fish are also one of their predators. Their big eyes give them good vision, and flapping their muscular tail propels them backwards at high speeds. The largest species of squat lobster growis up to 19 cm in length. Despite their size, Squat Lobstersare considered to be a delicacy in Europe. Crayfish - Australian Museum Australian Museum Crayfish Australia has a large and unique crayfish fauna including the largest and smallest species in the world. Black Yabbie Want FREE general admission all year round? Crayfish, of all of the freshwater invertebrates of inland Australia, are the most widely recognised and important to the human population and the natural aquatic ecosystems. Crayfish are heavy bodied crustaceans with an enlarged, pincer-like first pair of legs and are known by many common names depending on the area they are found. In New South Wales and Victoria they are called yabbies, in Western Australia the Koonac, Gigly and the Marron, while Queensland has the Redclaw. What are Crayfish? Crayfish belong to a group of animals called Crustaceans and are part of the phylum Arthropoda.

Other Arthropods are insects (Insecta), spiders (Arachnida), and centipedes and millipedes (Myriapoda). All Arthropods have a hardened outer shell, called cuticle (made from calcium carbonate) that acts as a skeleton. Crustaceans are distinguished from the other arthropods by their two pair of antennae - an outer pair called antennae, and an inner pair called antennules. Crayfish bodies are divided into three parts; the head, the thorax (the section that contains the legs), and the abdomen (or the tail, which is the edible part of many large crustaceans including crayfish, prawns and lobsters). Crayfish, like many crustacean have a carapace or shield which projects backwards from the head and covers all of the thorax The carapace has two functions; firstly it protects the delicate feather-like gills which branch off from the base of the legs, and secondly it provides a water channel that is a constant flow of oxygenated water to pass over the gills and enables the crayfish to breathe. Family Heritage and the Relatives All freshwater crayfish in Australia belong to the Family Parastacidae.

Australia's crayfish fauna are divided into nine genera (or groups of species) which include over 100 species. The three most common and widespread genera are Cherax, Euastacus and Astacopsis. These are all medium to large crayfish that are found in streams, lakes and swamps. Cherax species are the best known crayfish and occur over the widest range, from northern, eastern and south-western Australia and are distinguished by having smooth bodies and claws. Cherax are also the main species used in the rapidly growing aquaculture industry. They have a relatively rapid rate of growth and greater tolerances of larger temperature ranges and water conditions than many other crayfish. The three main species used in yabby farming and found in pet shops in Australia are the Dam Yabby Cherax destructor, the Marron Cherax tenuimanus from Western Australia, and the Queensland Red Claw Cherax quadricarinatus. The Yabby The yabby (Cherax destructor) has the largest range of all Australian crayfish. It occurs across most of Victoria, western New South Wales, south-western Queensland and eastern South Australia. They are probably the most hardy crayfish.

They can tolerate poor water conditions and long periods of drought by burrowing deep into the river bed or dam wall in order to stay moist. This species was named destructor because of the damage its burrowing caused in dam walls and levee banks. Yabbies range in colour from brown, green to pale blue with mottled claws. The Queensland Red Claw is characterised, as its name suggests, by a bright red patch on the outside of the large claw. The Marron is a dark brown or black or sometimes a bright blue colour. The striking blue form of the Marron is being selectively bred and are becoming increasingly popular as pets. Other Crayfish The second most widely distributed genus is Euastacus. This genus occurs from north Queensland throughout eastern and southern New South Wales, most of Victoria and southern South Australia. These crayfish are commonly referred to as freshwater lobsters, spiny lobsters or spiny crayfish because their bodies are covered in large spines, particularly on the tail and the claws. Probably the most heavily armoured and widespread Euastacus species is Euastacus armatus or the Murray River Crayfish. Its range includes central and southern New South Wales, northern Victoria.

This species has a green to green-brown body and large white spines on the tail and white claws. Euastacus species generally prefer well oxygenated water and are often found in cooler, faster flowing mountain streams and rivers. The different species come in an array of colours from the white claws and green body of Euastacus armatus, the blue and white Lamington Plateau Crayfish Euastacus sulcatus to Euastacus suttoni with dark red, green or black body and red or orange claws, to Euastacus spinifer the Large Sydney Crayfish with a dark green body, red tipped spines on the abdomen and blue tinged claws. The third genus Astacopsis is found only in Tasmania and includes Astacopsis gouldi or the Giant Tasmanian Crayfish and is not only the largest crayfish in the world but is also believed to be the largest freshwater crustacean. Although large animals are now rare, specimens have been recorded to weigh in excess of 6 kg, and measuring over 400 mm in length with claws longer than 150 mm. The remaining genera contain small species which have relatively restricted distributions.

An interesting genus found only in Queensland is Tenuibranchiurus. This genus includes the world's smallest crayfish, Tenuibranchiurus glypticus, which does not exceed 30 mm in length. Crayfish Habits Crayfish, can be found in a variety of freshwater habitats such as rivers, streams, dams, lakes and swamps. They are principally vegetarians and are generally most active at night (nocturnal) where they spend their time foraging on the stream bed, eating water weeds and the decaying roots and leaves. Crayfish are, however, opportunistic omnivores, which means they can eat almost anything including meat. All crayfish have the ability to burrow. Some genera are more adept at burrowing than others. The genus Engaeus or Land Crayfish has become so specialised at burrowing that the animals spend their whole life cycle in a burrow and have adapted their bodies to live in an enclosed space. These specialisations include a reduced tail, eyes and antennae and reduced body size, usually not exceeding 45 mm in length.

The burrows can be as long as 10 m in order to reach the water table and are often recognised by mud chimneys at the entrance to the burrow. These chimneys can range from a few centimetres to 40 cm in height. Keeping Crayfish Crayfish make interesting and industrious pets and can be purchased from most pet shops. The only species sold as pets are the Dam Yabby, the Marron, and the Red Claw. These are hardy species that require little maintenance and will live from two-five years. To set up an aquarium for crayfish you need a good aeration system, 3-5 cm of sand, some small pebbles and some large hollow or cavernous rocks which the crayfish can hide in during the day, and plenty of long waterweeds. Points to Consider When Setting up your Aquarium Keep the water clean by changing it regularly (every two to three months) and use the recommended water conditioners each time the water is changed. Do not allow uneaten food to stay in the aquarium for more than a couple of hours, as it will quickly turn the water bad. Use a good quality aerator and filter. Good aeration is vital to sustaining your crayfish.

Under-gravel filters, however, are not recommended for crayfish because their burrowing usually uncovers the filter and reduces its efficiency. Do not over-stock your tank because crayfish are very territorial and will kill or damage each other if placed in too small a tank. Each animal requires about 30-40 cm area with places to hide from the other crayfish. Crayfish like all arthropods shed or moult their outer skin in order to grow. This happens every three to four weeks in small crayfish (4-5 cm). The length of time between each moult increases as the animal get older to once a year in full grown animals. Most Cherax species take about one and half years to reach maturity (15-20 cm). During the moulting phase the crayfish will stop eating and reduce activity, until on the day of the moult it will appear motionless. Crayfish moult their shell, (ecdysis), by splitting their tail along the back and then flicking the old shell off. The head and claws are removed last Once the shell is removed, crayfish are very soft and will hide until they have expanded into their new shell and the shell has hardened.

It is advisable to leave the old shell in the tank as the crayfish will eat it as a source of calcium. Adding a small amount of calcium carbonate to the water will help make a stronger shell. Feeding your Crayfish Crayfish are principally vegetarian and will survive well on a diet of waterweed and almost any thinly cut vegetables such as pumpkin, potato, celery (including leaves), and apples and other fruits. You can also give them small amounts of meat or fish but it is not necessary. The important point to remember is not to overfeed crayfish. Crayfish only have a small stomach and will stop eating when full, leaving the remainder of the food. They do not need to be fed every day. A good feeding schedule would be one to two small pieces of food every two to three days. Remember to remove any left-over food after two hours. References Carrol, P. N. (ed). 1980. A yabbie pot pourri. Hawkesbury Agricultural College, Richmond. Jones, D. & Morgan, G. 1994. A field guide to Crustaceans of Australian Waters, Reed (William Heinemann Australia), Sydney. Merrick, R. 1993.

Freshwater Crayfishes of New South Wales. Linnean Society of New South Wales, Sydney. Williams, W.D. 1980. Australian Freshwater Life. The Invertebrates of Australian Inland Waters. Macmillan Company of Australia, Melbourne. Last Updated: Crayfish | A complete crayfish resource for pet owners A complete crayfish resource for pet owners Advertiser Links for Crayfish Resembling small lobsters, freshwater crayfish are known as "crawfish" or "crawdads" in some regions of the United States. Withdrawn and shy, these easy-to-care-for crustaceans are becoming increasingly popular aquarium pets. Appearance Size: Most common crayfish reach an adult size of 3 to 4 inches. Electric blue crayfish tend to be larger, measuring about 7 or 8 inches in adulthood. Color: Crayfish have segmented bodies that show a considerable range in coloration. Dark brown is the most common, but crayfish are also sandy yellow, green, white and even pink. The electric blue crayfish is the most striking color variant, with an unmistakable metallic light-blue body.

Variants: Over 300 crayfish variants have been identified in North America, and more than 100 have been catalogued in Australasia. Of these, the red-claw crayfish, the yabby and the marron are probably the best known, though these animals rarely make their way into the aquarium trade. Behavioral Characteristics Crayfish kept in tanks tend to be reclusive, seeking refuge under rocks and in any crevices they can find. It is essential to provide them with hiding places no matter where you keep them, as it's in their nature to hide and they will become distressed if they can't find a place to tuck themselves away. Design the tank to mimic the natural crayfish habitat as closely as possible. Aquarium lighting designed to approximate daylight can encourage them to be more active, though keep in mind that some species are almost exclusively nocturnal. Freshwater crayfish will eat almost anything in their path, including both plants and slow bottom-swimming fish, so keeping them in an aquarium with species like the guppy or goldfish is not a good idea if you want all your pets to survive.

You should also keep live plants out of the tank, since they'll only get eaten and your crayfish may end up getting caught in them and injuring itself. Health and Care Feeding: Shrimp pellets are the best pet crayfish food, since the pellets sink to the bottom of the tank where crawdads tend to lurk. Tank Care: Crawfish are very sensitive to water pollution, so be vigilant about changing 10 to 15 percent of the water in the tank each week. Aquarium heaters aren't necessary, but a good-quality filter does a lot to help keep the water in the tank clean. The pH level should be neutral (as close to 7.0 as possible) and the ideal water temperature is between 70 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Health Concerns: In the wild, crawdads are subject to a unique condition known informally as "crayfish plague." Infection occurs when a fish is exposed to contaminated water sources, and while this won't happen in controlled conditions, you should be aware that any crayfish caught in the wild and brought to the tank may be carrying the disease.

Coordination problems and an inability for the fish to get back on its feet when turned on its back are key indicators. Life Expectancy: Freshwater crayfish have very short life expectancies. Most live for no more than two years. 19 Posted by April on May 11,2016 at 07:36 PM My son is in 4th grade he got a crayfish towards the end of his 3rd year.the thing is still alive and had babies along time after qe got it.most of the babies died because the mother ate them.one servied so I removed it from the mother and put it in another fish tank with 3 fish I had for a while now.and they are still alive . reply Posted by Martina on October 17,2014 at 04:39 AM Hi, i had a crayfish in the tank along with a whole load of other fast swimming fish. I had him for a month or so and the added some other fish to the tank. I found him with one of the fish in his mouth. A few days later he started thrashing in the tank so i changed the water and cleaned the filter. That evening i found him dead.

Is it possible that the fish he ate was the cause? if i get another one is there anything i can do to stop this happening again? Thanks for your help reply Posted by Seahorse on August 10,2014 at 03:58 PM Just bought a blue crayfish, put him in the fish tank and now he/she is turning brown. Why? reply Posted by MH on August 22,2014 at 09:12 PM Ill bet your blue crayfish has changed back to blue by now. They can change color to brown when they're stressed, like in a move toa new environment, but should revert to normal color as they adjust to their surroundings. Good luck with your pet! reply Posted by vetement louis vuitton pas cher hommes on August 09,2014 at 03:51 PM Hiya! I know this is kinda off topic nevertheless I'd figured I'd ask. Would you be interested in exchanging links or maybe guest writing a blog article or vice-versa? My blog discusses a lot of the same topics as yours and I believe we could greatly benefit from each other.

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He was fine with less than great water quality, I usually changed his water once every couple of weeks and had a filter going. He made an interesting pet and ate everything from kale to a little bit of bologna now and then. He shed about 5 times over the past year and finally just curled up and died today. He also shared space with several fish but never bothered them, just ate the few unfortunate feeder fish that died before we could scoop them out. reply Posted by ignacious on March 02,2013 at 12:38 PM Last fall I let my 9 yr. old keep a live wild crayfish he caught from a private pond along with 4 wild goby. We made no special accommodations with regard to temperature or water quality. We have a gravel bottom 10 gallon tank with a filter. We have a few fake plants and a replica of Spongebob's pineapple and Squidward's Easter Island house. The crayfish not only survived, he thrived. He's shed once so far. He has done quite a bit of landscaping. He dug to the bottom of the tank, knocked over one of the structures horizontally and now lives in it.

We feed it standard fish food flakes and he eats them, in addition to everything else that dares venture near his pie hole. He has done very well but I cannot say the same for any other fish in the tank. Got five standard rocket goldfish last week. 2 have vanished just as every other fish in the tank has since we introduced the crayfish. Efficient to say the least. If it hits the bottom it disappears without a trace. But it's not a big deal. We don't get expensive fish. We usually fill the tank with the feeder variety until they die off. We are content with the crayfish being the star of the tank until we get some more wild samples like bluegill and largemouth fry, again with permission from private ponds. reply Posted by Jason on January 09,2013 at 06:24 AM The one I wild caught here in central Arkansas has thrived in my 2 gallon aquarium. He lives alone and has an outgoing personality; in fact, he exhibits very little shyness and can be entertaining when he gets into his threatening posture. I feed mine a variety of dry pet foods, and he eats it all.

reply Posted by Samuel Olson on May 17,2012 at 04:10 PM I am nine years old. I love crayfish. I had two crayfish as pets for 1 month, but then one killed the other one and eventually the living one died also. Then, I had a crayfish that I found and put her in an aquarium I had that had a filter and lots of rocks and shallow water. I fed it vegetables and turtle food. It died after three days. Why do most crayfish in captivity die? What am I doing wrong? Thank you for answering my question. Freshwater Invertebrates | Encyclopedia of Alabama Stefanie Haba, Auburn University Dragonfly Larva Freshwater invertebrates make up an overwhelming amount of Alabama's biodiversity . The most commonly encountered freshwater invertebrates of Alabama are represented by seven phyla: Annelida, Arthropoda, Mollusca, Aschelminthes, Cnidaria, Platyhelminthes, and Porifera. These invertebrates all spend at least a portion, if not all, of their lifecycle in aquatic ecosystems.

Many are valued for their roles either as food sources in their biological communities, as biological indicators of a healthy habitat, or as endemic species that exist only in Alabama and nowhere else in the world. Alabama is home to 180 different species of mussels from the phyla Mollusca, which accounts for about two thirds of all the mussels found in North America, making Alabama the state with the most types of freshwater mussel . Alabama also has 83 species of crayfish, which is more than any other state. Six of these crayfish species live only in caves or underground streams in Alabama. There are also 102 known species of aquatic snails (many of which are extinct), including six endemic aquatic snails such as the endangered cylindrical lioplax (Lioplax cyclostomaformis), the endangered flat pebblesnail (Lepyriam showalteri), the endangered plicate rocksnail (Leptoxis ampla), the threatened painted rocksnail (Leptoxis taeniata), the threatened round rocksnail (Leptoxis ampla), Alabama Cave Shrimp and the threatened lacy elimia (Elimia crenatella).

All six of these are found only in the Mobile River Basin. These animals often go unnoticed by the public, and thus conservation and protection of Alabama's freshwater invertebrates and education about them are of great importance. Phylum Annelida The phylum Annelida is made up of four classes, Hirudinea, Oligochaeta, Polychaeta, and Archiannelida. The class Hirudinea contains leeches, which are aquatic worms with bodies made up of 34 segments. They inhabit lakes, marshes, ponds, and streams with little to no currents. They prefer warm and shallow waters where they can hide from the light. Most leeches are tolerant of polluted waters because some species are able to survive several days without oxygen. Leeches are either blood-sucking parasites or scavengers; there are very few species that are exclusively blood-suckers. The class Oligochaeta is made up of slightly smaller aquatic segmented worms, such as the cave worm (specifically from the order Branchiobdellida) that can live in any source of water, including polluted water, due to their low requirement for oxygen. They are structurally similar to the common terrestrial earthworm.

All oligochaetes are hermaphroditic, which means that individuals have both male and female reproductive organs. Although they are hermaphrodites, they can reproduce both asexually and sexually. Oligochaetes gather nutrients by ingesting ooze from the bottom of their freshwater habitats. The class Polychaeta consists of eyeless tubifex worms. These worms live in the sediments at the bottom of sewage-polluted water sources that are at least one meter deep. Tubifex worms consume mud and extract nutrients, and during this process they construct mud tubes. The class Archiannelida is made up of small primitive worms that look very similar to larval stage polychaetes. They are externally unsegmented. Phylum Arthropoda The phylum Arthropoda is represented in Alabama by three classes: Arachnida, Crustacea, and Insecta . The class Arachnida includes water spiders and water mites. Water spiders typically spend their time moving across the surface of the water, but can stay submerged under water for up to 45 minutes. Crayfish Water mites live entirely underwater.

Typically, they will use their legs to swim awkwardly; those that are unable to do this spend their time crawling on plants or substrates at the bottom of the water sources. They are usually found along the shorelines of lakes, ponds, streams, rivers, and marshes. The class Crustacea is made up of five orders, Amphipoda, Cladocera, Copepoda, Decapoda, and Isopoda. The order Amphipoda are commonly called scuds, which are very small, omnivorous, shrimp-like crustaceans that live in pools, ponds, brooks, streams, and lakes. Cladocera are small zooplankton, commonly called water fleas, or daphnia, which live in most freshwater habitats. Species in the order Copepoda, like those in Cladocera, are very small and have many visible segments. Copepods vary greatly in their feeding behaviors, ranging from parasites to detritus-feeders that eat dead organic matter in the water. The most common freshwater members of Decapoda are commonly known as crayfish.

They are omnivorous scavengers that burrow in the sediments of all freshwater ecosystems, ranging from permanent to ephemeral freshwater habitats. The order Isopoda contains sowbugs, which are also omnivorous scavengers that tend to live under rocks or debris in shallow freshwater habitats, but they are also very common in groundwater systems. The class Insecta is very large, consisting of nine orders: Coleoptera, Collembola, Diptera, Ephemeroptera, Hemiptera, Megaloptera, Odonata, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera. The order Coleoptera is made up of diving beetles, riffle beetles, water penny beetles, and whirligig beetles. Collembola is an order of animals commonly known as springtails. The order Water Strider Diptera consists of biting midges (no-see-ums), black flies, crane flies, deer flies, horse flies, midges, mosquitoes, rattailed-maggots, and watersnipe flies. Mayflies make up the order known as Ephemeroptera.

The order Hemiptera contains backswimmers, water boatman, water scorpions, and water striders. Megaloptera is made up of alderflies, dobsonflies (otherwise known as hellgrammites at the larval stage), and fishflies. The order Odonata consists of dragonflies and damselflies. Stoneflies make up the order Plecoptera, and caddis flies make up the order Trichoptera. Phylum Mollusca The phylum Mollusca is the most important phylum of freshwater invertebrates in Alabama, containing 61 percent of the world's mussels. This phylum consists of as many as eight classes, with two, the Gastropoda and the Bivalvia, being the only classes represented in the state. The Gastropoda includes gilled snails, limpets, pouch snails, and orb snails. All gastropods remain permanently attached to their shell through the columellar muscle, which also allows them to retract their head and foot into the shell.

Gilled snails, such as the rocksnail and hornsnail, have leaf-like gills on their mantle, which is the part that protrudes outside the shell, and a shell that is spiraled clockwise. They feed primarily on algae or other decaying material on the bottom substrates of free-flowing streams and rivers. Limpets have a broad cone-shaped shell and feed mostly on algae or other decaying matter. They are hermaphroditic, which allows them to reproduce either by mating or by self-fertilization. Pouch snails have a shell that is spiraled counterclockwise and breathe with lungs rather than gills. They are hermaphrodites like the limpets. Ramshorn snails have flat coiled shells and feed primarily on algae and other decaying organic material. Fanshell The class Bivalvia consists of the bivalve mollusks such as fingernail clams, freshwater mussels, Asian clams, and zebra mussels. Zebra mussels attach themselves to submerged objects in clusters, but the other species move freely through the substrate. The fingernail clam is a very small filter feeder that is native to the southeastern United States but occurs worldwide.

Freshwater mussels are also natives, and they come in a variety of shapes and sizes. They can be round, oval, rectangular, trapezoidal, or triangular and most typically appear as separate male and female organisms. Some species are hermaphroditic, however. Larvae of freshwater mussels are called glochidia, and they parasitize fish for up to several months before they fall off and finish their development in the sediments of a stream. The Asian clam is an invasive species with a triangular shell that first appeared in North America in 1938 in the Columbia River in the Pacific Northwest. The clam produces large amounts of offspring, allowing it to overtake the native mollusks. Zebra mussels are another invasive species that look like small clams with zebra-like patterns on their shells. They are native to the Caspian Sea in Asia and were probably brought to the United States in the 1980s in the ballast water of ships. They are a major problem in some areas that they have invaded (although not Alabama) because of their high reproductive rates and their ability to attach to virtually anything.

Phylum Aschelminthes Rotifer The phylum Aschelminthes is made up of one class, Rotifera. The rotifers are microscopic, transparent organisms that have an elongated, cylindrical body made up of a head, midsection, and foot. These organisms can be found either attached to a submerged object or swimming freely. They are omnivorous and will sometimes even consume each other. They can be found living in puddles, ponds, damp soil, lakes, sand, or even rock crevices. Phylum Cnidaria The only class of the phylum Cnidaria that lives in freshwater is Hydrozoa, referred to as hydras. They have radially symmetrical, columnar bodies with between five and eight tentacles on only one end of the body. Hydras are small (between only 1 and 25 mm long) and carnivorous, eating anything from tiny aquatic invertebrates to small fish. They can reproduce asexually or sexually if hermaphroditic. Phylum Platyhelminthes The phylum Platyhelminthes contains one class, Turbellaria, known as free-living flatworms.

Turbellaria are very small, elongated worms that can be flat, spindle-shaped, leaflike, or cylindrical. Most of their bodies are covered with cilia, which are hair-like structures that the flatworm uses to move itself. Turbellaria reproduce both sexually and asexually, by splitting in two. Flatworms can be found in unpolluted freshwater sources in the substrates at the bottom, or on the underside of the surface of the water. Phylum Porifera One class, Demospongea, commonly known as freshwater sponges, represents the phylum Porifera. These sponges are green, brown, or yellow and grow in mat-like sheets partly attached to submerged objects that are flowing with the water. Sponges do not have any organs. They reproduce sexually either as hermaphrodites or as separate male and female organisms. Freshwater sponges are typically found in shallow slow-moving water. They feed by straining small particles from the water that flows through them. Additional Resources Common Aquatic Flora and Fauna of the Tennessee Valley. Booklet 4, Water Quality Series, Chattanooga, Tenn.: Tennessee Valley Authority, 1994.

Mirachi, Ralph E., ed. Alabama Wildlife Volume One, A Checklist of Vertebrates and Selected Invertebrates: Aquatic Mollusks, Fishes, Amphibians, Reptiles, Birds, and Mammals. Tuscaloosa: University of Alabama Press, 2004. Smith, Douglas Grant. Pennak's Freshwater Invertebrates of the United States: Porifera to Crustacea. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 2001. Thorp, James H., and Alan P. Covich, eds. Ecology and Classification of North American Freshwater Invertebrates. San Diego: Academic Press, 1991. Published: August 13, 2007 | &nbspLast updated: June 13, 2013 THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ALABAMA Welcome to your free, online resource on Alabama history, culture, geography, and natural environment. This site offers articles on Alabama's famous people, historic events, sports, art, literature, industry, government, plant and animal life, agriculture, recreation, and so much more.

NAVIGATE How to Breed Freshwater Lobsters Home » Pets & Animals » Breeding » How to Breed Freshwater Lobsters How to Breed Freshwater Lobsters Freshwater lobsters are most commonly known as crayfish. They are found in fresh running water like rivers, streams, brooks and also in ponds where they get shelter against predators. Mostly they cannot tolerate polluted water. They breathe through gills and grow from four to six inches in length mostly but some grow larger. A freshwater lobster or crayfish has a lifespan of about two to three years. Lobsters fascinate people very much. They love to keep freshwater lobsters as pets in their freshwater aquariums. Things Required: Omnivorous food to feed them Others are Reading Instructions 1 In a freshwater aquarium, provide at least water up to 40 to 50 gallons per lobster. Also, place plenty of rocks and plants. Temperature should be between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit or 10 and 22 degrees Celsius, ideally with pH value 6.5-8.0 2 Place a male and a female freshwater lobster in the aquarium. Now it is really a difficult task to differentiate between male and female lobsters.

The main difference between male and female lobsters is that the females have shorter claws than males and their claws are more rounded as compared to the male ones. 3 As you have placed both the lobsters, now you have to be patient. The process is a slow one. It is also best to keep both the lobsters in different aquariums. The male lobster should be introduced in the female lobster's aquarium and the mating process will start within one minute after the introduction of the male lobster. Usually the mating process is initiated by the male lobster; female lobsters do not initiate mating process. As the process starts, both the lobsters will clean each other. Now you watch closely. The process will continue for about half an hour, and when it is over, the male lobster can be removed from the female's aquarium. 4 After the mating process ends, the female lobster will carry the eggs in her abdominal parts, known as pleopods. The eggs have to be matured before they are extracted. The eggs will hatch in about 21 days or you can say, 3 to 4 weeks. 5 Lobsters are semi-aggressive in nature, and as an omnivorous, they can eat their own brood.

So to prevent the parents to eat the broods, place them in a separate smaller aquarium. Try to keep the water of aquarium of newly born lobsters which are known as fry, as clean as possible. It is the time when fry will shed its shell and you should prevent from touching the fry as they are very fragile at this stage. Image courtesy: aqua.org.il 6 As it shed its shell, leave the shell in the aquarium, as a part of its diet it will eat the shell. It will be a source of calcium which will harden the shell of newborns. As they grow larger they will regenerate the lost limbs. 7 You can give flake or pellet foods to feed them or freshly hatched brine shrimp, micro worms or liquefied foods. 8 After two weeks of the birth, the lobsters will look transparent but as they grow older and reach sexual maturity they will gain colour. Crawfish and crayfish catching with Trapper Arne's crayfish traps a reddish shell and long skinny claws MANY VARIETIES OF CRAYFISH According to my studies about crayfish, there are hundreds of varieties. I must admit, though, that most of them look about the same.

But if you start scrutinizing them a little closer, you realize that there are differences. The first difference I noticed was in the Phoenix canals where I could find both the Louisiana type, reddish in shell and elongated claws, as well as the one I had seen in Scandinavia. This is a California signal crayfish. Note the white spots on its claws. That's the signal. They all have fancy latin names which I will not bother you with. The Swedish crayfish is called the Flood Crayfish and is usually almost black in the shell. However, nowadays, due to the ravages of the so called crayfish pest, a new crayfish has been introduced in Sweden which is less susceptible to the pest. This is the California signal crayfish from the Sacramento River and it has a whitish spot on the claws. Females of most species have often taken an elevated position of male admiration and desire. So also with crayfish. In my home country, crayfish eaters stealthily search out the females from a plate full of males. And why? Because the females may have roe, or shall we call it caviar, which is an added attraction.

If the roe is external, as in the picture, they are ready to join the other family members in the lake. But are they still internal, they become a tasty morsel among crayfish aficionados. Recently I have also read about the rusty crayfish which you find around the Great Lakes. This crayfish is apparently very aggressive and has made inroads among the more timid old crayfish varieties. As the rusty crayfish has larger claws, I am not entirely against it... CRAYFISH EATEN AROUND THE WORLD One more thing about crayfish. They are eaten by humans all over the world. Believe it or not. In the US we all know the Louisiana Cajuns love them and feast on large amounts of cooked crayfish spread out on old newspapers. In Sweden they get together on August evenings, preferably under a full moon and colored lights, and drink, sing and eat their crayfish with gusto. Crayfish catching goes way back in history. Even in old Mesopotamia,now Iraq, they used to enjoy crayfish parties. And Aristotle wrote about crayfish in his fables before the birth of Christ.

Catholic monks ate crayfish during lent and the Bavarian monastery of Tegernsee is reputed to have consumed over 30,000 crayfish each year. The Swedes, who now adore crayfish, were slow to catch on. After all, the bible says man is not supposed to eat marine animals unless they had fins and scales. Oyevey, that leaves out lobsters and shrimp... Swedes have long assigned a high esteem to their crayfish. High enough that at least two counties in Sweden used the crayfish as their county seal just as the town of Astakus in Greece did many hundred years earlier, from which later a major species of crayfish was named. I could go into more detailed and historical descriptions of all the different types of crayfish we have, but believe me, they are all very similar and taste about the same. Zebra Crayfish - Aquatic Arts 1 Juvenile Zebra Crayfish Details * For the safety of our animals, we now ship cherax crayfish exclusively via UPS Next Day Air.

If your order contains this item, you will only see UPS Next Day Air as a shipping option during checkout * Also known as "Asian Tiger Lobster", this is one of the largest freshwater crayfish available and features stunning pastel colors. The Zebra Crayfish (Cherax peknyi) is a fairly recently discovered and uncommon species of crayfish native to Papua, Indonesia. This crayfish is also commonly known as the Asian Tiger Freshwater Lobster, though true lobsters do not exist in freshwater. Orange, blue, white, and black are all distinctly shown on this crayfish. The Zebra Crayfish breeds easily in the aquarium, but the fry are extremely slow growing. In fact, many of our specimens have bred in our tanks at our facility! This particular crayfish is relatively active and spends plenty of time exploring the floor of the aquarium in search of food. The Zebra Crayfish is an omnivorous scavenger and will eat most any meaty or plant-based foods. This crayfish should not be kept with ornamental live plants as it will eat them at a surprising rate.

As it reaches adulthood, the Zebra Crayfish will become relatively territorial, so it may behave aggressively towards other animals in the tank. It is important that ample hiding places such as rockwork, driftwood, or PVC pipes be provided. This is even more crucial when housing multiple crayfish in the same tank. Due to the size and waste production of this crayfish, a minimum 30-gallon, well-filtered aquarium is necessary for one adult. A larger aquarium of 55 gallon or larger aquarium can house multiple adults of similar size. This is a reasonably hardy animal, but regular water changes are vital to its optimal health. Other bottom-dwelling invertebrates and fish should not be kept with large crayfish. It is possible to keep mid- and upper-level, fast-swimming fish with the Zebra Crayfish, but crayfish are opportunistic feeders and will generally eat whatever they can catch. As with all of our crayfish, the coloration of the Zebra Crayfish is EXTREMELY high quality - much higher quality than others on the market. This crayfish may TEMPORARILY change color and hide more than usual after molting, which may occur during shipping.

If your crayfish is not blue and you find a molt in the bag or in your aquarium, do not worry; this is normal and the bright color will return in 2 weeks or less. *IMPORTANT* Please "Choose a Variant" above before adding this crayfish to your cart. The variants we're currently offering are: 1 Zebra Crayfish (Cherax peknyi) - 3 to 4 inch Young Adult (No sex specified / Most popular option). 1 B-Grade Zebra Crayfish (Cherax peknyi) - 3 to 4 inch Young Adult (All of our “B-Grade” crayfish are simply specimens that are missing legs or claws. Loss of appendages is not permanent and happens commonly with crustaceans. They are completely healthy with excellent coloration and will completely regenerate lost appendages within 1 to 2 molts (about 2 to 3 months). 1 Juvenile Zebra Crayfish (Cherax peknyi) - 1+ inch (A younger and smaller variant of Zebra Crayfish at a lower price than our young adult specimens.

This is a particularly fast-growing, hardy species and will usually grow well into adult size and coloration within 1 to 3 months. In the meantime, any customers who choose to go with a juvenile specimen can save some money and experience the excitement of watching their little crayfish grow!) What We Like About This Crayfish: Consistently excellent orange, blue, white, black, and brown coloration Less aggressive than many other crayfish Easy to feed Temperature: 68° - 85° F (20° - 29° C) pH: 6.5 - 7.5

Question: What is a freshwater lobster commonly known as
Answer: Crayfish